A few Wildflowers ..on Fat Tuesday

[Silas_Sancona]

Returned to South Mountain to check up on how things were coming along wildflower-wise in the park.  While better than what i'd observed at San Tan, you could see that what displays were present at lower elevation spots were peaking out, and hadn't gained all that much momentum from rain we'd had a couple weeks back, compared to what was in flower when i was here last.  Regardless, some color to be had.. especially when i added a few extra miles to today's hike.  Best display ( ..and likely the best i'll see there ) was on a Northwest facing slope along another trail that straddles a couple ridges at higher elevation.   Came across a couple new things i hadn't seen with my own eyes here yet.  

Along with the flowers, came face to face with the season's first Feral bee swarm ( up on a hill above a section of the Telegraph Pass trail ) and a Chuckwala ( Sauromalus ater).. one of our bigger native Lizards. No pictures since he decided to hide all but his head between a rock while me and some other hikers were observing him from the trail. Interestingly South Mountain boasts the only Orange or "Carrot"- color tailed populations of the species.  Neat Lizards, just not as approachable as some other species here. Desert Spiny Lizards have been known to come to people's back doors at certain times of the day if offered meal worms previously. Some will even eat out of hand once used to humans. 

No Cacti today,  just a few flowers. None of the cactus sp. in the park are budding yet anyway. 

Individual species' first-time-seen here:

Desert Wishbone Flower ( Miribalis laevis, Four-o'-Clock Family) Variable species that can have white or purple flowers, depending on location. Perennial which dies back in the summer out in the desert here, but can remain evergreen and flower on and off all year with more moisture in the garden.  


Arizona Lupine ( lupinus arizonicus) Like other annual Lupinus sp. but flowers are more lavender than blue.  Can carpet good sized areas of the desert in good years here and in CA. 



Desert Larkspur / Parish Delphinum ( Delphinum parishii) Cool find in the desert. Like the Green / Light Blue / White color combination of the flowers.  Wasn't anticipating finding any locally.



As mentioned, best display was higher up. Was worth the extra trek.  Some pictures.

Mexican Gold Poppies galore. Distant mountains in the wide view shots are the Sierra Estrella Mountains. 


Really good displays of Distant Phacelia (Phacelia distans) up here and in a couple other areas along the way.



Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum) and a few more picture worthy Desert / Coulter's Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus) here too.



Not a bad way to spend the biggest day of Mardi Gras season.. About as colorful,  perhaps a bit less crazy than others celebrated in the past

-Nathan

[Palm crazy]

Beautiful! love seeing these wildflowers this time of year. Last week I planted California poppy 'watermelon heaven' and they are already coming up! 

[Silas_Sancona]

On 3/6/2019 at 6:39 AM, Palm crazy said:

Beautiful! love seeing these wildflowers this time of year. Last week I planted California poppy 'watermelon heaven' and they are already coming up! 

Thanks.. Was a little bummed that displays at the lowest elevations weren't as great as hoped ( with all the recent rain we'd had n' all ) but the extra hike along a trail i hadn't yet sniffed around payed off.. 

Will be heading south in about 2 weeks.. Flowers should be better down there due to higher elevation, and the fact that the area saw Snow cover a couple times this winter, helping sustain good soil moisture through the season. Hoping, though it might be early.. that i come across Calochortus kennedyi ( Desert Mariposa Lily ) ..the sp.  with dark red /  orange flowers.. Supposedly easier to find growing where i'm headed.  Regardless, lots of stuff to be found there that doesn't grow up this way.

Yes, the poppies come up / grow to maturity pretty quick. While the main show out front, in the yard had germinated in December,  other patches popped up in early Feb. and are getting close to flowering now, esp. with a few days of sun and heat. Flower buds on the Cacti out there are really swelling now also.
 

[Josue Diaz]

wonderful pictures Nathan! thank you for sharing.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Josue Diaz said:

wonderful pictures Nathan! thank you for sharing.

Just wait.. I think you, among everyone here will really appreciate where i'm headed next, ..And not just for the Dasylirion, Agave, and Nolina sp. that i should be able to find  there..

Also hoping the extended forecast out your way doesn't pull a big switcheroo... I'm sure you're itching to get up in the Mountains again  .. Awaiting seeing some spring pictures from the high country myself..

Was 85F here yesterday. Backs off a bit for next week, but 80s are forecast to return by about the 20th.. Looks like everyone in CA should see a nice bump in temps. at the same time also.

[Josue Diaz]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Just wait.. I think you, among everyone here will really appreciate where i'm headed next, ..And not just for the Dasylirion, Agave, and Nolina sp. that i should be able to find  there..

Also hoping the extended forecast out your way doesn't pull a big switcheroo... I'm sure you're itching to get up in the Mountains again  .. Awaiting seeing some spring pictures from the high country myself..

Was 85F here yesterday. Backs off a bit for next week, but 80s are forecast to return by about the 20th.. Looks like everyone in CA should see a nice bump in temps. at the same time also.

Looking forward to pics from your next trip! I'm meeting up with a handful of friends today to plan out some spring and summer trips into the Sierra. With the amount of snow in the mountains, it may not be until mid-to-late May before the sub-alpine plants begin flowering.